World shares showed a mixed performance on Thursday following the release of U.S. economic data that helped ease concerns on Wall Street. U.S. futures saw a slight decline, with the S&P 500 contract down 0.2% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average contract marginally lower. U.S. markets were closed on Thursday to observe a National Day of Mourning for former President Jimmy Carter.
In early European trading, Germany's DAX lost 0.2%, the CAC 40 in Paris remained nearly unchanged, and Britain's FTSE 100 surged 0.6%.
Asian markets mostly experienced declines amid renewed caution over potential trade tensions with the upcoming presidency of Donald Trump. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 index dropped 0.9%, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng index edged lower and Shanghai Composite index lost ground. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 also saw a decline, while South Korea's Kospi and Taiwan's Taiex had mixed performances.
Investors are closely monitoring the impact of Trump's presidency on global markets, with concerns over proposed tariffs and geopolitical uncertainties. On Wednesday, Wall Street saw a steady performance following strong economic reports that raised worries about inflation and interest rates.
The bond market remained in focus, with Fed Governor Christopher Waller indicating expectations for further rate cuts in 2025. Bond yields fluctuated, with the two-year Treasury yield falling slightly and the 10-year Treasury yield easing.
Reports on the economy suggested a slowdown in hiring by U.S. private sector employers in December, while fewer workers applied for unemployment benefits last week. These indicators are being closely watched ahead of the comprehensive jobs report from the Labor Department due on Friday.
In the energy market, U.S. benchmark crude oil and Brent crude prices saw slight declines. The euro also weakened against the dollar in early trading.
